PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Max Steel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jackson Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hughes has chosen My life as his entrance music. Jackson Hughes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Steel
vs
Hughes

190 cm
23
185 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

190 cm
18
192 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Max Steel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jackson Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Chad Campbell and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Steel rushes Hughes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Steel lands an uppercut.

Steel drags the fight down to the ground.
Hughes postures up in Steel's guard and throws a big left but Steel blocks it.
Hughes cracks Steel with a solid left hand.
Hughes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Steel is keeping the position for now.
Hughes throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hughes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Steel holds on and takes a little breather.
Steel not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Steel wants to sweep here but Hughes controlling him for the moment.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Steel is on top in guard.

Hughes wriggles free and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Steel jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hughes dodges the punch combination from Steel.
Hughes takes a swing at Steel's ribcage but misses.
Hughes misses with a two punch combination.
Steel throws a lazy right hand but Hughes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Steel tests Hughes's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hughes fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Steel avoids it really well and circles away.
Hughes shoots for a takedown but Steel saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Steel fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hughes on the side of the head.
Hughes fails to land the takedown.
Max Steel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jackson Hughes.
Hughes looks gassed!
Steel connects with the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes misses with a combination
and Steel counters with a lovely straight right hand!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Steel scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

It looks like Jackson Hughes has been cut.
Steel thuds a left hand into Hughes's body.
Steel jabs at Hughes's body.

Steel looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Hughes!
Steel tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Steel is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Steel defending well as Hughes loads up on a big left hand.
Hughes misses with a takedown
and Steel counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hughes shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Steel counters with a series of strikes. Hughes will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Steel with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Steel comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A right-left combo lands from Steel.

Steel drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Steel gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Steel misses with a wild body shot.

Hughes gets the takedown into side control.
Hughes creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Steel sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hughes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Steel keeps working.
Steel struggling a bit here.
Steel tries to improve position but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Steel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jackson Hughes's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hughes misses with a takedown attempt

and Steel counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Steel lands a left hand.
Hughes tries to score a body lock takedown but Steel shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Steel.
Hughes can't get the takedown.
Max Steel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jackson Hughes.
Hughes gets underhooks to prevent Steel's takedown attempt.
Steel wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hughes has him pressed against the cage.

Steel escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Hughes shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Steel is trying to defend but Hughes finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Steel is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hughes pulls his head out easily.
Hughes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Steel gets full guard.
Hughes really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Steel. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes wants to stand but Steel is controlling his posture from full guard.
Hughes loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hughes throws and elbow that misses. Steel uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hughes's guard. Nice move by Steel!
Hughes wants to stand but Steel is controlling the position.
Steel sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hughes's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Steel seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Hughes looks like he's trying to stand up.
Steel is controlling the pace.
Steel prevents Hughes from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is trying to escape back to his feet but Steel uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Steel remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Hughes is trying to buck Steel off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Steel has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Hughes uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Steel.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Steel moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hughes shoots in but Steel avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hughes throws a looping overhand right but Steel ducks down to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Steel dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jackson Hughes's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Steel scores with a nice head shot.
Max Steel is winning the standup battle so far.
Hughes is trying hard to land a takedown here. Steel sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Steel wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Steel throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hughes stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Hughes takes one on the button.
Hughes doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Steel throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Steel closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Hughes is in trouble now - Steel has advanced to mount!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Steel stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes throws a body kick that misses.
Hughes takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Steel throws a series of punches but Hughes moves out of range.
Hughes with a poor takedown
and Steel counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Steel connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Max Steel is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Hughes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Steel did well to prevent Hughes getting side control.
Max Steel overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hughes slips a nice elbow through Steel's hands, connecting with Steel's forehead.
Steel makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Steel.
Steel trying to keep a closed guard but Hughes is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Steel wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Steel trying to control the position.
Hughes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hughes stopping the sweep attempt from Steel.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hughes shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Steel defends it nicely.
Max Steel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jackson Hughes.
Steel fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Steel staying out of range there.
No joy there for Steel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Steel throws an overhand right that lands on Hughes's shoulder, as Hughes tries to avoid the shot.
Hughes fails to land the takedown.

Steel shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Steel showed some decent athleticism there.

Steel gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Hughes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Steel.
Hughes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Steel.
Steel connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes looks for a takedown but Steel sprawls well.
Steel connects with a looping right hand.
Max Steel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hughes throws a right hand that Steel ducks under and follows up with a left that Steel also avoids with ease.
Hughes drops his hands momentarily and Steel takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Hughes gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
The crowd cheers as Steel lands an impressive looking overhand right. Hughes doesn't seem phased though.

Steel scores a takedown into full mount!
Steel won't let Hughes get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Jackson Hughes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Steel blocks Hughes's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Max Steel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Steel has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Max Steel!